Interpretative path from the Tentes pass to the Boucharo pass

A walk along the splendid Tentes Pass Interpretation Trail (Boucharo)

This beautiful path, on which you can enjoy a panoramic view of the peaks surrounding the Cirque de Gavarnie, is more than 30 km long and is easy to follow as most of it is flat as far as the village of Gavarnie. After passing it, the steep ascent begins.

Walking along the Tentes Pass Interpretation Path (Boucharo) is not only pleasant and fascinating, but also an educational experience, as along the one and a half kilometre route you can see interpretation panels that explain the geological formations of the area in a simple way, as well as the stories that tell the history and legends of the place.

How is the route of the interpretation path of the Tentes pass (Boucharo)?

The trail starts in Luz St. Sauveur in the direction of the picturesque village of Gavarnie. After leaving Luz St. Sauveur and after the first kilometre, you will see an immense work of engineering, Napoleon III's bridge, built near the area where his wife Eugénie Montijo spent long periods of time.

In the middle of this busy stretch of road, you will see the zig-zag bridge at the centre of Sia, the Pragnères dam and the village of Gère. After passing this village, you continue towards the charming village of Gavarnie, where the traffic slows down.

On leaving Gavarnie you can continue the route to the left-hand side. In fact, just before the bridge is where the most demanding section of the whole pass begins, bordering a huge rocky outcrop and opening up a splendid landscape until you reach the ski resort of Les Especières, thus completing two hours of walking. From there you will only have about 10 more kilometres to go before you reach the pass of Tentes (Boucharo). The road is in perfect condition and is signposted to the Holle refuge, where the route narrows.

Along these 10 Kms. beautiful meadows filled with flocks of sheep begin to appear, and then you will pass under the chairlifts, crowning your arrival at the peak of Tentes (Boucharo), a peak surrounded by large mountains and from where you can admire great panoramic views. This privileged viewpoint not only offers spectacular views of the Cirque de Gavarnie and its border mountains, but also allows you to enjoy the majestic spectacle of well-known peaks such as the Vignemale, the Néouvielle, the Pic Long or the Midi de Bigorre.

If you wish to complete the whole of the route you can extend the route from the peak of Tentes (Boucharo) continuing along the ridge in a northerly direction towards the peak of Pahule (2,292m). From this peak there is a wonderful panoramic view of the Cirque de Gavarnie and the Grand Cascade. If you reach the top of the pass, you will find the peak on the border with Spain as an "imaginary line", as this natural beauty has no limits or frontiers, it belongs to all mankind.

The Tentes Pass Interpretation Trail (Boucharo) is open all year round, even in winter and spring. Some sections can be done by car if you wish, or by bike or on foot, according to your taste and that of your family.

Col des Tentes / Photo: Gilles Guillamot [CC-BY-SA] Wikimedia Commons